Short bottle crates made of plastic

ABSTRACT

A short bottle crate made of plastic having a plurality of annular webs forming the bottom of the crate. A set of first annular webs are disposed such that each web is concentric with a compartment of the crate. A set of second annular webs connect adjacent first webs and the centers of the second annular webs lie at the centers of the compartment walls. Projections are fashioned on the second annular webs between the regions of their connections with the first annular webs and extend outwardly to a level below the level of the first annular webs. The projections are dimensioned such that the crate may be supported on the bottle tops in a filled crate in displaced fashion. The projections do not interfere with the normal crate stacking.

United States Patent Schoeller [541 SHORT BOTTLE CRATES MADE OF PLASTIC [72] Inventor: Alexander Schoeller," Karl-Mart Str.

' 10, 8000 Munich-Solln, Germany [22] Filed: June 14,1971

[21] Appl. No.: 152,719

30 Foreign Application Priority Data Dec. 9, 1970 Switzerland ..l8254/70 [52] US. Cl ..220/21, 220/66 [51] Int. Cl. ..B65d 1/24, 865d 1/35, B65d 57/00 [58] Field of Search ..220/2l, 66, 97

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,416,694 12/1968 Bebb ..220/21 3,517,852 6/1970 Schoeller ..220/21 Primary Examiner-George T. Hall Attorney-Bames, Kisselle, Raisch & Choate [57] ABSTRACT A short bottle crate made of plastic having a plurality of annular webs forming the bottom of the crate. A set of first annular webs are disposed such that each web is concentric with a compartment of the crate. A set of second annular webs connect adjacent first webs and the centers of the second annular webs lie at the centers of the compartment walls. Projections are 7 fashioned on the second annular webs between the regions of their connections with the first annular webs and extend outwardly to a level below the level of the first annular webs. The projections are dimensioned such that the crate may be supported on the bottle tops in a filled crate in displaced fashion. The projections do not interfere with the normal crate stacking.

8 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures FIG.3

r Y F INVENTOR x74 EXHNDIER SCHOELLER ATTORNEY r .1 SHORT BOTTLE CRATES MADE OF PLASTIC framework in the crates serves to hold the bottles in place.

To save material and transportation weight, bottle crates should be as light as possible, but nevertheless able to withstand any stresses developed during rough operations. Furthermore, simple handling and ease of cleaning are desired. An additional requirement of short bottle crate bottoms is that the crates, when stacked, must rest securely on. the necks of bottles in the subjacentcrates in the stack, and must be protected from slipping.

In order to meet these requirements, particularly the last-named, and to avoid the disadvantages of crates with solid bottoms -(i.e., high material usage and difficulty in cleaning), it is known to provide a short bottle crate made of plastic which comprises a bottom having inter-crossing bottom strips which run parallel to the outer walls of the crate and a framework for the bottles having walls which run parallel to the outer walls of the crate, the bottom strips being connected to the framework walls. A further improvement of the bottom structure of this type of short bottle crate is disclosed in my US. Pat. No. 3,517,852 issued June 30, 1970. That patent discloses first annular webs in the bottom of each compartment concentric with the compartment. The first annular webs of adjacent compartments are connected with one another be second annular webs whose centers are located beneath the centers of the respective compartment walls. Third annular webs may be located beneath the compartment walls concentric with the intersections of the compartment walls and connected with the adjacent second annular webs. Such a bottom structure attains great strength and a certain elasticity without increased material usage.

Also, cuts can be made, when desired, in the compartment walls, because the corresponding regions are accessible from the bottom, through the respective annular webs.

An object of the present invention is to provide an improvement in such a short bottle crate bottom structure which permits not only normal stacking such as occurs in the store, but also displaced stacking such as occurs during the filling operation.

The invention provides a short bottle crate of the type disclosed in my U. S. Pat. No. 3,517,852 having that improvement wherein the second annular webs are fashioned, between the regions of their connection with the first annular webs, with outwardly directed'projections which extend on both sides of vertical projections of the compartment walls. Not only does this provide secure mounting in connection with normal stacking, but, even with displaced stacking. In a preferred embodiment, the height of the projections, with respect to the normal level, advantageously amounts to about 2 mm, as will be later described in detail.

In a bottom structure wherein the third annular webs, which are concentric with the compartment wall intersections, the invention proposes that the third annular webs extend outwardly to the plane of the projections. The two projections thus formed are opposite one another on each second annular web, and the smallest distance between them is less than the diameter'of the top of a subjacent bottle in the stack.

The present invention also proposes that the stacking rim, which runsaround the outer wall of the crate and encloses the bottom, extend outwardly to the plane of the projections and that in its regions of connection with the first annular webs, it have recesses extending to the plane of the first annular webs. A further extension of the invention proposes that the fourth annular webs and the projections of the second annular webs be I connected bystraps running beneath the compartment walls, thereby contributing to increased strength. A still further extension of the invention provides third annular webs, each fourth web being concentric with a first annular web, serving as places for lodging the tops of the subjacent bottles in the stack. The third webs are connected to the first webs and provide a depression with respect to the first annular webs for normal stacking. In the preferred embodiment of the invention, this depression measures between 1 and 1.5 mm.

The invention will now be explained in greater detail, in the light of the attached drawings, by way of example. Thus:

FIG. 1 shows, in a simplified perspective representation, a short bottle crate.

FIG. 2 shows an enlarged partial view of the bottom of the crate.

FIG. 3 shows a possible manner of stacking.

FIG. 4 shows another possible manner of stacking.

The bottle crate shown is made of plastic and is produced in one piece by an injection molding process. The outer walls 1, 2 are'substantially closed and form corner surfaces 3 at the corners of the crate. The corner surfaces 3 are fashioned with areas 4, 5 which have tooth-like grooves, running parallel to one another, horizontally or vertically, which can engage those on adjacent crates, thus preventing mutual displacement, vertically or horizontally. The large-area outer walls 1 can be utilized for advertising purposes.

The interior of the crate, as usual, is subdivided by a frame work, consisting of partitions 6 which run longitudinally through the crate, and partitions 7 which run transversely through the crate. The compartment walls 6, 7 are cut out along the upper edge, funnel-like, in the usual manner, in order, in particular, to facilitate mechanical loading; preferably there are openings 8 in the lateral walls 2, to facilitate handling. It is not necessary here to go into further details as to the features of a short bottle crate, in order to explain the present invention.

FIG. 2 shows the design of the bottom, according to the invention. The bottom of the crate comprises a first set of annular webs 9, the center points of which coinnular webs first annular webs 9 by means of short supporting straps 12. The third annular webs 11 preferably form depressed lodgements for the bottle tops of a subjacent crate in the stack, whereby, with normal stacking, secure positioning of the cratesin the stack is assured. The cross-pieces 13 between the first annular webs 9 and the third annular webs 11 are fashioned as oblique surfaces. When correctly dimensioned, these oblique surfaces exert pressure on the inserted seals (cork disks), in such a manner that the seal is improved.

Projections l5, pointed outward from the bottom, are provided on the second annular webs 10, between their regions of attachment 14 to the first annular webs 9. The smallest distance between two opposite projections 15 on a second annular web is less than the diameter of the top of a subjacent bottle in the stack. The projections on the second annular webs are interconnected by straps 16 with the fourth annular webs 17 which lie beneath the intersections of the partitions 6,7, wherewith thecenter point of the fourth annular webs 17 coincides with the intersections of the partitions. The projections 15, straps l6 and the fourth anl7 extend to the same level (indicated by double hachures in FIG. 2) from a nonnal nonhachured level of the bottom. The first annular webs 9 are at the normal non-hachured level. Portions of the stacking rim 18, which runs around the crate periphery inclosing the bottom, extend to the same level as projections 15, straps 16 and fourth annular web 17 and are indicated by double hachures. In the regions of the connection with the first annular webs 9, the stacking rim 18 has recesses 20 which extend to the plane of the first annular webs 9, and thus are non-hachured. Thus, the above-described crate bottom has an outer level, defined by projections 15, straps l4, fourth annular webs l7 and the projecting portions of crate periphery. As mentioned, this level is characterized by double hachures in FIG. 2. Regions of this thus characterized projecting level, roughly circumscribed by first annular webs 9, are left free so that the tops of the subjacent bottles in the stack may be accommodated therein. Between the projections 15, the bottle top may assume any arbitrary position, as is required with displaced stacking, while adjusting to the variable peripheral thickness of the crates in the lateral and longitudinal directions.

The projections 15, as well as the corresponding fourth annular webs 17, the straps l6 and the projecting peripheral parts of rim 18 preferably have a difference in height of about 2 mm with respect-to the first annular webs 9 and serve to support the crate on the tops of subjacent bottles in the stack. The tops of subjacent bottles assume any positions between the projections 15, to correspond to the forced disposition resulting from displaced stacking. In the case of normal stacking, the tops of the subjacent bottles in the stack rest, as is pointed out in my previously cited US. patent, on the third annular webs 11 which, with respect to the non-hachured normal level, are set back about 1 to 1.5 mm, and this setback of webs 11 is indicated by the single hachures.

Two different possible ways of stacking the short bottle crates with bottoms designed according to the inve '0 ae he a'call FIGS. d4.

e inher l t i a fi afiow s th e p s it ions oi tl 'l e stacked parallel to said outer walls forming a plurality of com-.

partments and a bottom comprising first annular webs connected to said framework and disposed symmetrically with respect to the compartments such that the midpoint of each said first annular webs coincides with the center of its respective compartment, means defining a free space inside each first annular web adapted to receive the top of a subjacent bottle in a filled lower crate, second annular webs connecting adjacent first webs together and having centers which lie beneath the centers of the respective compartment walls and projections extending outwardly from the bottoms of said second annular webs and located between the regions of connection of said second annular webs with said first annular webs.

2. A short bottle crate according to claim 1 further including third annular webs concentrically disposed within said first annular webs and are connected therewith, said third annular webs being depressed with respect to said first annular webs so as to serve as lodgements for the tops of subjacent bottles in a filled lower crate.

3. A short bottle crate according to claim 1 further including additional annular webs lying beneath the partition intersections and concentric therewith, said last-mentioned webs being connected with said second annular webs and extending outwardly to the same level as said projections.

4. A short bottle crate according to claim 1 wherein the shortest distance between projections on a second web is less than the diameter of the top of a subjacent bottle in a filled lower crate.

5. A short bottle crate according to claim 1 further including a stacking rim running around the outer periphery of the crate and inclosing the bottom, said stacking rim having portions extending outwardly to the level of said projections and means forming recesses extending to the level of said first annular webs in the regions of connection of said rim with said first annular webs.

6. A short bottle crate according to claim 3 including straps connecting said additional annular webs and said projections, said straps running beneath said compartment walls.

7. A short bottle crate according to claim2 wherein the depression of said third annular web with respect to said first annular web amounts to between 1 and 1.5 mm.

8. A short bottle crate according to claim 1 wherein the height of said projections is about 2 mm. 

1. A short bottle crate made of plastic comprising outer walls, a framework for the bottles having walls parallel to said outer walls forming a plurality of compartments and a bottom comprising first annular webs connected to said framework and disposed symmetrically with respect to the compartments such that the midpoint of each said first annular webs coincides with the center of its respective compartment, means defining a free space inside each first annular web adapted To receive the top of a subjacent bottle in a filled lower crate, second annular webs connecting adjacent first webs together and having centers which lie beneath the centers of the respective compartment walls and projections extending outwardly from the bottoms of said second annular webs and located between the regions of connection of said second annular webs with said first annular webs.
 2. A short bottle crate according to claim 1 further including third annular webs concentrically disposed within said first annular webs and are connected therewith, said third annular webs being depressed with respect to said first annular webs so as to serve as lodgements for the tops of subjacent bottles in a filled lower crate.
 3. A short bottle crate according to claim 1 further including additional annular webs lying beneath the partition intersections and concentric therewith, said last-mentioned webs being connected with said second annular webs and extending outwardly to the same level as said projections.
 4. A short bottle crate according to claim 1 wherein the shortest distance between projections on a second web is less than the diameter of the top of a subjacent bottle in a filled lower crate.
 5. A short bottle crate according to claim 1 further including a stacking rim running around the outer periphery of the crate and inclosing the bottom, said stacking rim having portions extending outwardly to the level of said projections and means forming recesses extending to the level of said first annular webs in the regions of connection of said rim with said first annular webs.
 6. A short bottle crate according to claim 3 including straps connecting said additional annular webs and said projections, said straps running beneath said compartment walls.
 7. A short bottle crate according to claim 2 wherein the depression of said third annular web with respect to said first annular web amounts to between 1 and 1.5 mm.
 8. A short bottle crate according to claim 1 wherein the height of said projections is about 2 mm. 